Really good column in Inquirer About Philadelphia School District - problems go way beyond thebudget

[JPZenger]

http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/karen_heller/20110601_Karen_Heller__School_district_s_missteps_undercut_whole_city.html

Great column by Karen Heller in Phila. Inquirer. Excepts, but the whole thing is worth reading:

"At this moment, it's quite possible that more government entities are investigating the School District of Philadelphia than are looking into al-Qaeda. The IRS is conducting a massive audit into the district's financial and personnel practices, as well as its outside contracts, listing 28 areas of inquiry. The city controller discovered "material weaknesses" and accounting errors in the district's preliminary financial report. "On a scale of 1 to 10, this is a 10," said the deputy supervising the audit. "When they give us these statements, these statements are supposed to be correct."

...Every few days a crisis erupts at 440 N. Broad. Superintendent Arlene Ackerman has the distinct ability of appearing imperious while positioning herself as a victim. She has failed to secure political and business allies to improve our schools, support that is critical to Philadelphia's future.

The district is in a perpetual state of chaos, ruled by fear, paranoia, and retribution for perceived disloyalty. The city is littered with former school district employees who had the temerity to challenge authority and lost their jobs. Last week, the payroll director was abruptly fired for allegedly failing to tell top officials about the scope of the IRS audit."

[philly_bob]

1. Frankly, JPZ, there is so much teacher-bashing going round these days

that I dismiss this as more of the same...

Especially when it is pushed by anti-soda tax lobbyists.

[JPZenger]

2. This column isn't teacher bashing...it is administration-bashing

[philly_bob]

3. I don't have any basis for an opinion on Ackerman's administration.

You know what I mean by the teacher-bashing (and public employee-bashing) so frequent these days.

I generally trust your judgment and appreciate your posts.